NEW ORLEANS – unCommon Construction presented its inaugural “Mayer Building Company Apprentice Nailed It! Award” during its Spring 2026 Promotion Ceremony, recognizing apprentice Leif-Samuel Dawson for leadership, craftsmanship and professional growth while also honoring Construction Manager John Lindsay for mentorship.
The ceremony marked unCommon Construction’s annual school-year celebration recognizing apprentices, volunteers, staff and industry partners involved in the organization’s workforce development programs.
The $1,000 Mayer Building Company Apprentice Nailed It! Award was presented to Dawson, while Lindsay received a $500 staff recognition award for mentorship, jobsite leadership and commitment to apprentice development.
“The Mayer Building Company participates in unCommon Construction’s Industry Circle because we believe in building more than projects — we’re building a stronger industry and community. Supporting young people who are learning the value of hard work, fairness and collaboration reflects the same principles that guide our company every day,” said Ryan Mayer, owner of Mayer Building Company. “We wanted to support the great work unCommon does and really support those that stand out.”
The Mayer Apprentice Nailed It! Award recognizes apprentices who demonstrate leadership, reliability, integrity, craftsmanship and initiative on the jobsite.
“The Mayer Award is about helping these young people see what we see — their potential,” Mayer said.
Supporting Workforce Development
Mayer Building Company is a member of unCommon Construction’s Industry Circle, a coalition of companies that supports the nonprofit’s paid apprenticeships, construction training, leadership development and workforce development programs.
Leif-Samuel Dawson, a graduate of New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics (Sci High), joined unCommon Construction in summer 2024 and completed six semesters, serving two semesters as Crew Leader. He will continue his academic journey at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, pursuing civil engineering.
“unCommon Construction not only gave me the guidance to narrow down my area of study from general engineering to civil engineering, but it also gave me critical skills necessary for going anywhere after high school,” Dawson said.
Staff and peers described Dawson as a leader who consistently modeled professionalism, problem-solving and initiative on the jobsite, often serving as a resource for fellow apprentices.
“At unCommon, we learn to build a house from the ground up. These are unforgettable experiences that have positively shaped us now and will continue to shape us in the future,” Dawson said.
Additional unCommon Construction Award Recipients
Additional awards presented during the ceremony included:
- Safety Award (Apprentice): Daneia Mitchill
- Grit Award (Apprentice): Darius Diolivarri
- Integrity Award (Volunteer): Doug Matthews
- Equity Award (Industry Partner): Sara Woods, AOS Interior Environments
The awards come as unCommon Construction continues expanding partnerships with construction companies to prepare students for careers in the skilled trades. During the 2025-26 school year, the nonprofit provided 100 paid apprenticeships for students from 10 New Orleans public high schools, who collectively earned more than $125,000 in wages and scholarships while completing the organization’s largest project to date, a 10-bedroom workforce housing development. Since 2015, unCommon Construction has created approximately 650 apprenticeship positions whose participants have collectively earned more than $800,000 in wages and education awards.
